Japan Protests Chinese Radar Locks on F-15s Near Okinawa

Overview

• Japan’s defense ministry says two Chinese J-15s from the carrier Liaoning intermittently locked radar on JASDF F-15s near Okinawa in separate episodes.
• Authorities reported no injuries or damage, and Japan characterized the radar illumination as dangerous and beyond what flight safety requires.
• Tokyo lodged a strong diplomatic protest, with Defense Minister Koizumi condemning the actions and urging Beijing to prevent a repeat.
• China denies targeting the jets, asserting that Japanese aircraft repeatedly approached and disrupted a preannounced carrier-based training east of the Miyako Strait.
• The encounters come after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested Japan could respond if Taiwan were attacked, a stance that has sharpened bilateral tensions.